[saudio7]

And Niimbus is just beginning of what Susvara can do

 

[vonBaron]

FA-10 has way more pooowweeerr then Niimbus.
But I know what you mean. I am also fan of Fried Reims amps. Last duel was gsx mini vs V281. The gsx mini is a great amp but the V281 has so much better bass response.

So maybe go for speaker amp?

 

[sahmen]

And Niimbus is just beginning of what Susvara can do

Seriously? Just "the beginning"? I guess that means you wouldn't advise getting the Niimbus to anyone who really wants to "sink their teeth" into the Susvara... Is that a correct assessment? Personally, I have been eyeing a possible Niimbus to use with my Susvara... At least you can say the Niimbus has always been one of the amps that was highest on my priority list...

However, blowing "Niimbus" kind of dough on any amp just to get only to "the beginning" of what the Susvara can do doesn't really sound Kosher to me, especially since I already own a few amps that can get me to that same "beginning" and even past it at times (like my Modded F-10, for example, and to name just one of them).

So is it back to the drawing board then?

 

[ThanatosVI]

Seriously? Just "the beginning"? I guess that means you wouldn't advise getting the Niimbus to anyone who really wants to "sink their teeth" into the Susvara... Is that a correct assessment? Personally, I have been eyeing a possible Niimbus to use with my Susvara... At least you can say the Niimbus has always been one of the amps that was highest on my priority list...

However, blowing "Niimbus" kind of dough on any amp just to get only to "the beginning" of what the Susvara can do doesn't really sound Kosher to me, especially since I already a few amps that can get me to that same "beginning" and even past it at times (like my Modded F-10, for example, and to name just one of them).

So is it back to the drawing board then?

I actually Think that was a Joke with "just the beginning".
Since the Susvara is known to "scale endlessly"

 

[llamaluv]

With regard to solid state amps for the Susvara, discussions can gravitate toward generalizations about headphone amps versus speaker amps. And generalizations have their place, y'know, that's fine. Anyway, what I've been wondering about is if the underlying issue is really more of a Class A versus Class B kind of deal (disregarding other architectures for simplicity's sake).

It's safe to assume that, at least as a general rule, speaker amps stay in Class A for much, much longer than headphone amps. Just to take one example, my speaker amp starts crossing over from Class A into Class B at around 10-12 watts, I believe. Even when hooked up to the SR1a, this would only start to occur with big bass thumps at my highest comfortable listening volume. And with the Susvara, well, forget about it.

So I'm wondering if the positive impressions often received using speaker amps with the Susvara has something to do with (or maybe a lot to do with) not so much their raw power, but their ability to stay in Class A...

Just a thought.

 

[sahmen]

I actually Think that was a Joke with "just the beginning".
Since the Susvara is known to "scale endlessly"

If "just the beginning" was indeed just a joke, then it did catch me off guard, although I usually consider myself to be quite "savvy" about detecting jokes

 

[BassicScience]

With regard to solid state amps for the Susvara, discussions can gravitate toward generalizations about headphone amps versus speaker amps. And generalizations have their place, y'know, that's fine. Anyway, what I've been wondering about is if the underlying issue is really more of a Class A versus Class B kind of deal (disregarding other architectures for simplicity's sake).

It's safe to assume that, at least as a general rule, speaker amps stay in Class A for much, much longer than headphone amps. Just to take one example, my speaker amp starts crossing over from Class A into Class B at around 10-12 watts, I believe. Even when hooked up to the SR1a, this would only start to occur with big bass thumps at my highest comfortable listening volume. And with the Susvara, well, forget about it.

So I'm wondering if the positive impressions often received using speaker amps with the Susvara has something to do with (or maybe a lot to do with) not so much their raw power, but their ability to stay in Class A...

Just a thought.

That wouldn't explain why my NAD (300W Class D) sounds amazing with the Susvara. I think Class A power amps (and no/low feedback designs) have achieved a mythical status with a lot of audiophiles that is unwarranted. YMMV.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Seriously? Just "the beginning"? I guess that means you wouldn't advise getting the Niimbus to anyone who really wants to "sink their teeth" into the Susvara... Is that a correct assessment? Personally, I have been eyeing a possible Niimbus to use with my Susvara... At least you can say the Niimbus has always been one of the amps that was highest on my priority list...

However, blowing "Niimbus" kind of dough on any amp just to get only to "the beginning" of what the Susvara can do doesn't really sound Kosher to me, especially since I already own a few amps that can get me to that same "beginning" and even past it at times (like my Modded F-10, for example, and to name just one of them).

So is it back to the drawing board then?

I hope to receive my Hifiman EF1000 in the coming weeks / first week in May (depending how quick it goes through UK Customs which may be slow).

I will let all know sometime mid May on the Susvara thread and EF1000 thread how it performs and sounds to my ears.

 

[thecrow]

And Niimbus is just beginning of what Susvara can do

For me that is simply the satisfying and happy ending (when it comes to an amp at least).

 

[Roasty]

That wouldn't explain why my NAD (300W Class D) sounds amazing with the Susvara. I think Class A power amps (and no/low feedback designs) have achieved a mythical status with a lot of audiophiles that is unwarranted. YMMV.

I think my Sus sounds great out of a class D purifi amp too!

Side note.. Love the $10 usb cable in your signature lol!

 

[saudio7]

If "just the beginning" was indeed just a joke, then it did catch me off guard, although I usually consider myself to be quite "savvy" about detecting jokes

It was a bit of joke (sorry), but I was surprised when I switched from Niimbus to speaker amp and it was not even big speaker amp, you know the problem is that you don’t know until you listen to certain setup, then it is difficult to forget, but for me it is good learning. I just started with it and I am not that experienced like @gwos and others

 

[saudio7]

For me that is simply the satisfying and happy ending (when it comes to an amp at least).

Happy you, for me it was just curiosity, maybe it was mistake as I started probably quite long journey.

 

[thecrow]

Happy you, for me it was just curiosity, maybe it was mistake as I started probably quite long journey.

I've been down enough rabbit holes

And I have hit enough of a sweet spot - and that's downplaying it



all the best

 

[driftingbunnies]

Based on what I've seen around the forums, the people I know who have a Susvara, and my own experience, I think the ability to drive Sus is based on how much current the amplifier can output. We know in general that planars like high current and dynamics like high voltage.

The reason why people have had success with powerful speaker amps is because the power supplies do not limit the current as much as a headphone amplifier. Even though some cheap headphone amps tout high power output like the 789, it's current output is limited to ~1A. In comparison, the AHB2 that I have has a max current of 29A. Something like the iFi Zen Can can play the Sus plenty loud but there's barely any dynamics at all. Unfortunately not all amps have current measurements.

It seems like currently the Bakoon is making waves cause 1) it's a high current speaker amp 2) it's small form factor and 3) everyone who has tried the combination says it sounds amazing. It even has a 4W/60Ohm rating. I think for the HE6, it's recommended to get at least 2W for it to be fully powered. The AHB2 outputs 13W/60Ohm if power is linear (which it probably isn't) but that sort of explains why other people are enjoying that combination as well.

Obviously power ratings are a combination of current and voltage so just because something is high power doesn't necessarily mean that it's high current but in general it does for SS amps. Power quality is also important. I think the Class A theory really just depends on the amplifier. I tried the Pass Labs Int-25 and it's not nearly as dynamic as the AHB2. It does have some more musicality from it's "Class A-ness" but it fell short of my expectations at the price. However, it's known that the Pass will stay in Class A until 25W and has been measured to output 80W peaks so it does have some grunt behind it when it needs to. I think the Class A helps with the synergy but I don't think it means that it will 100% power the Sus.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Based on what I've seen around the forums, the people I know who have a Susvara, and my own experience, I think the ability to drive Sus is based on how much current the amplifier can output. We know in general that planars like high current and dynamics like high voltage.

The reason why people have had success with powerful speaker amps is because the power supplies do not limit the current as much as a headphone amplifier. Even though some cheap headphone amps tout high power output like the 789, it's current output is limited to ~1A. In comparison, the AHB2 that I have has a max current of 29A. Something like the iFi Zen Can can play the Sus plenty loud but there's barely any dynamics at all. Unfortunately not all amps have current measurements.

It seems like currently the Bakoon is making waves cause 1) it's a high current speaker amp 2) it's small form factor and 3) everyone who has tried the combination says it sounds amazing. It even has a 4W/60Ohm rating. I think for the HE6, it's recommended to get at least 2W for it to be fully powered. The AHB2 outputs 13W/60Ohm if power is linear (which it probably isn't) but that sort of explains why other people are enjoying that combination as well.

Obviously power ratings are a combination of current and voltage so just because something is high power doesn't necessarily mean that it's high current but in general it does for SS amps. Power quality is also important. I think the Class A theory really just depends on the amplifier. I tried the Pass Labs Int-25 and it's not nearly as dynamic as the AHB2. It does have some more musicality from it's "Class A-ness" but it fell short of my expectations at the price. However, it's known that the Pass will stay in Class A until 25W and has been measured to output 80W peaks so it does have some grunt behind it when it needs to. I think the Class A helps with the synergy but I don't think it means that it will 100% power the Sus.

High current with a low output impedance. You will most probably find (as I have found) that a SS Class A good quality speaker amp with mosfet construction that can output a respectable current with low output impedance gives great results for the Susvara.